Wednesday, January 02, 2008

There once was a time when I was familiar with new music. And not just the popular top 40 tunes - though as a DJ that's a majority of what I played when my boss was around to listen, when he was out of range it was a completely different story - but the good music. The up and coming artists that few had heard of but whose reps were trying so desperately to get air play for.

Hey Bossman. Remember that time you wouldn't let me add that new group to our playlist? What were they called? Oh yeah, right. Belle and Sebastian. You were right, they were never going to catch on.

And I wonder if he remembers when he first hired me out of college how I had to fight him on this little album from a relatively unknown Virginia band - Crash. Yeah, that Dave Matthews Band. No future ahead for them, huh?

Dumb ass.

Back then I had music reps throwing CDs at me. We were a teeny, tiny radio station that barely got any play outside of our front door, we barely had enough wattage to power a hair dryer, but we had a decent relationship with most of the major and minor record companies. They felt charitable and, hey, even if only five people listen that's still five more potential buyers of their bands' albums.

Today is a long way from then. Light years. Today I have no idea who half of the bands are on everyone's year end lists. So many lists! So many opportunities to feel like a musical dumb ass. My christ, I'm turning into my old boss.

So please help a woman out. What were your absolute favorite albums, artists or bands of 2007? And please tell me why. I could go to Rolling Stone and start downloading their faves off of iTunes but I'd bankrupt myself. I want to hear from real people, not music critics, why you love these songs. Let's face it, some music critics are - um - influenced in ways. The way I see it, if you paid for the album and continued to love it whether or not anyone was waiting for you to write something positive about it then those are the albums I want to know about.

I do have some requirements:

- The songs must be suitable for playing in front of my two year old since I do the majority of my listening in the car or while I'm making dinner/cleaning the house. She doesn't have to like them, but every other word can't be "f*ck this" or "c*cksucker that". Know what I mean? That pretty much leaves rap out.

- Do not, and I really mean DO NOT, recommend anything from the country charts. It's not going to happen. I'm intrigued by Lucinda Williams' latest album, and I suppose she could be labeled as country, but she's Lucinda Williams. 'Nuff said if you ask me.

- If you're wondering where my musical tastes lie these days, a few of my favorite downloads from this year were from Iron and Wine, the new Robert Plant/Alison Krass album, and the music from the movie "Once". Especially that last one. Those are some pretty mellow examples but I'm fairly mellow these days (see the first requirement). However, if you have an opinion on the new Linkin Park album I would like to know about that.

- The music doesn't have to be radio-friendly. I like the indie stuff. It makes me feel young and hip. (I don't want to hear that no one who is truly hip actually uses the word "hip". They probably don't use the word "groovy" either. Lalalalalala.)

My credit card thanks you.

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Due to the holidays and my general laziness the ROFL Awards are being postponed this month and will be picked up again next month. That means you get to nominate funny posts from either December or January! I'll be bugging you all about that again later. Oh yes, there will be bugging.

My favourite new CD this year was The Shins' Wincing the Night Away, but I don't know if it was actually released in 2007. The other two I listened to the most were Modest Mouse (Dashboard and Missed the Boat my favourite tracks) and Wilco (Impossible Germany my fave). All recommended by my brother, who is way into good music, Indie music, is a radio DJ, etc., too.

I've turned into a top 40 pop-head since I've become a mom. I don't think I'm in a position to recommend anything, but I'm glad you wrote this post so I can see what your readers are listening to. Maybe I can be "hip" some day too!

Congrats to helping "discover" DMB!!I'm lovin the new Alicia Keyes, too! (No One) and my personal favorest song ever -"Til Kingdom Come" by Coldplay. A little known song by them, and it's truly amazing. (I walked down the aisle to it!)Coldplay has some great hidden songs...

Did you hear the Mighty Mighty Bosstones are back together??? I heard they did a Middle East gig last month.

Is it true??

Also, I got an iPod for Christmas, and while I've only used 1MB of space on it (I know...but it's hard to sit and load songs LOL and my computer doesn't have enough space) the post before my current one has my top 25 currently most frequently played songs.

It's not what you'd call new, LOL, but it'll give you an idea of my taste.

I'll be paying close attention to the comments you receive. One of my nesting projects is to tidy up the mess of CDs - many of which are still wrapped in cellophane - that I collected during my time in the business.

FWIW, one of the artists I like that never seems to have garnered mass appeal is Olive. I also played the heck out of a CD from Lizz Wright (jazz, I think, but not Kenny G kind of jazz).

Serj Tankian (lead singer of System of a Down, which is on hiatus) has a new solo project that is quite good, although quite hard. However, no profanity, and a general social awareness that is never too early to instill.

Everything I've heard from the latest Radiohead album (In Rainbows) is awesome.

For some singles (i.e. of which I know nothing of the rest of the album):The Fratellis - Flathead (something Julie P might like, given the Bosstones reference)Rise Against - The Good Left Undone (like Three Days Grace, sorta)Tokyo Police Club - Nature Of The Experiment (hard to describe, really)Silversun Pickups - Well Thought Out Twinkles (think Veruca Salt, sorta)

Clearly, my tastes tend toward the harder stuff than most other commenters. Hopefully something in there appeals. (Oh, and if you're interested, I can upload some of the tracks to my imeem page for you to sample before purchasing.)

Current favourite songs (not albums because I'm broke and don't buy albums any more):Feist - Mushaboom and 1,2,3,4 (also known as the Nano commercial song)Ingrid Michaelson - The Way I Am (If you liked Lisa Loeb, you'll like Ingrid Michaelson)Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere and Girls In Their Summer Clothes, but the whole album (Magic) is great.

Oh, that song just (WHOMP) just brought back memories from 1993. A youth group trip to Denver on a bus full of testosterone filled high school jocks who repeatedly played that damn song all the way to the Rockies!!!

I could have written this post - well, the part about not being cool. Not the part about how you used to be cool. That said, I can not make any good recommendations. But I can bookmark this and thank your readers heartily.

*LOL* Oh, Mrs C.....I hear you. Really, I do. i can't listen to Eminem in my car anymore because of the little ears....

Anyway, some great suggestions thrown your way already. i am loving the new Lifehouse CD, as well as Three Days Grace.

Natasha Beddingfield is coming out with a new CD the end of January. There is a cool (80's term...sorry) song called "Pocketful of Sunshine" on it...very catchy, hip, and child friendly. Google it and let me know what you think.

I listen to almost anything, so I would be no help to you. I do want to get the soundtrack from "August Rush" tho. That was a really good movie and I think the soundtrack will be awesome. A blend of rock and roll and symphany. Can't wait to get it. I like anywhere from Andrew Lloyd Weber to ZZ Top, but not too hot on rap (just cuz I can't understand most of it).

oh god, i know how you feel. i've been marinating a post called 'when did i become a mom?' and it's really about 'when did i stop being cool?'

maybe it was when i had to call my little brother (24) to (badly) sing him the only line I could remember to a song i had heard on the radio but did not know who sang it. it was FERGIE. i didn't know a freakin FERGIE song. i LIKED a freakin FERGIE song.